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E60 / E61 (2004 - 2010) BMW 5-Series E60 Sedan was first seen in the Unites States in the fall of 2003 with a 2004 Model Year designation. The E61 wagon followed shortly there after. The E60/E61 5 series is now available as a 528i, 528xi, 535i, 535xi, 550i and a 535xi sports wagon! -- View the E60 Wiki

I have been experiencing engine vibration lately all the time when the car is not moving. When ever the car is on, I can hear the engine vibration (not running, vibration) and if I put my hand on the dash, I can feel the vibration. I opened the hood, and everything seems to sound normal. Any ideas or suggestion where to look or what to fix? I recently changed the oil and oil levels are fine, no leaks apart from a minor leak on the sump.

A DIY from Margal would be pretty useless to you. Margal has a V8 E60, you have an I6. That said, since your engine is much smaller it should be MUCH easier since access and room are much greater in the I6 cars. If a DIY is really needed you can search either here or on the 3 series forums, the mounts will be different on the 3 series but the engine is the same and the procedure should be nearly identical.

I have the same car with the same problem! I will deal with this problem this weekend.I will change engine mounts, and spark plugs maybe. I'll post feedback. I allready changed tranny mounts and exhaust mounts, and rear balljoints 2 weeks ago. 165000 km on the clock.

Ihave replaced my engine mounts and spark plugs along with leaky VCG this weekend and only to find out my engine mounts were ok. Spark plugs had no oil coleague mechanic said that by the look of spark he had a good combustion. Vibration is gone but idle fluctuations (+50 rpm, -50 rpm) persists on my tacho. i think i am going to do my intake CPS soon? any ideas anyone?

Thanks grim a for sharing your feedback from your work. Much appreciated, did you took any pics for doing engine mounts? Might help me if you can share them and the steps?

After closely monitoring, I noticed the vibration gets twice as loud in noise and feel if the AC is turned on. Is this problem actually related to AC by any chance? Also, apart from mechanical tensioner on AC and alternator what other pulleys could cause noise or vibration or is suggested to be changed?

Unfortunatlly i did not take any photos, my hands were dirty and we changed some suspension parts also so I did not have any time to do photos. Also engine mounts were problem to get them out once they were loose, we raised engine very slowly. Pay attention before you do this to liberate autobox oil cooling hoses and take away your intake with MAF for gaining more access. I dont know for E39 but E60 does not have many space to take mounts out. You need to raise your engine 5-6 cm( I did mine).try googleing engine mounts DIY. I am not sure if it is related to A/C. I do not have any knowledge about A/C system. I have replaced all tensioners and belts along with termostate and water pump few months ago and this flactuations are still present. I put mechanical tensioners thou. For your pulleys, you can check them by taking of your belts and then roll them. If they stop very fast and no noise they are ok, but if they keep spining they are gone. I will try next with intake CPS or try to change oil filler cap because when i took my valve cover i saw some oil around oil filler? Is it possible that oil escapes through oil filler cap?

Unfortunatlly i did not take any photos, my hands were dirty and we changed some suspension parts also so I did not have any time to do photos. Also engine mounts were problem to get them out once they were loose, we raised engine very slowly. Pay attention before you do this to liberate autobox oil cooling hoses and take away your intake with MAF for gaining more access. I dont know for E39 but E60 does not have many space to take mounts out. You need to raise your engine 5-6 cm( I did mine).try googleing engine mounts DIY. I am not sure if it is related to A/C. I do not have any knowledge about A/C system. I have replaced all tensioners and belts along with termostate and water pump few months ago and this flactuations are still present. I put mechanical tensioners thou. For your pulleys, you can check them by taking of your belts and then roll them. If they stop very fast and no noise they are ok, but if they keep spining they are gone. I will try next with intake CPS or try to change oil filler cap because when i took my valve cover i saw some oil around oil filler? Is it possible that oil escapes through oil filler cap?

Hey grimma, thanks for posting promptly and the details. For the Oil cap, another friend of mine here who is quiet knowledgeable on E60 suggested to use food wrap around the oil filler cover and all around the VC and see if that fixes the issue. If it does, then change the gasket on the oil filler cap or cap itself. I have yet to try that fix yet.

Unfortunatlly i did not take any photos, my hands were dirty and we changed some suspension parts also so I did not have any time to do photos. Also engine mounts were problem to get them out once they were loose, we raised engine very slowly. Pay attention before you do this to liberate autobox oil cooling hoses and take away your intake with MAF for gaining more access. I dont know for E39 but E60 does not have many space to take mounts out. You need to raise your engine 5-6 cm( I did mine).try googleing engine mounts DIY.

Did you have to remove the engine mount bracket or did the mount come out with bracket in place? also how did you lift the engine?

I'm experiencing the same vibration while idle which is worst when A/c is on. Dealer said everything is fine.

I've also read that slightly increasing the idle RPMs would help.

Taking the car to another dealer this Friday.

Thanks for confirming you have the same problem too Cali Buk. So far, three of us seems to be having this problem and today I discovered something else. When this vibration occurs, if you actually move the gear into Parking, the vibration either disappears or calms down like a beast. When I moved the gear back into drive, the vibration started again, and then increased with the AC on. So I am not sure if it is a combination of Transmission and AC, but I don't know what is it and it is driving me mad guys , okay I am serious.

I recently put on new belts but never thought about checking the pulleys, so I have new tensioners for engine and AC which I will be swapping over the weekend. That is not going to help as grimma already confirmed, but I think mine are due now at 146K.

My indy has said it is the engine mounts and I experience the same issue as you guys (at a stop light in D you can feel the car vibrate).

I'll enquire about him replacing them because the vibration seriously does my head in

Thanks NathO to join the vibration club, if you read through you will know grimma did not fix the issue by changing the mounts. See what you can find about the transmission or the AC. Is there a way to check the transmission oil level? or Transmission mounts?

I have search many threads and forums that include every BMW that has a 4.4 n62.From all these threads over 9 years of this problem Ive only read two that have been cured.First was a bad seal for throttle body to intake,second was engine mounts.Countless other threads ended without cure.Many back when still under warranty took them to the dealer and has SIB done which raises valve lift at idle.OK for a day then back to same condition.If not cold start idle then intermediate levers should be ok .So.....some other valve train defect or like you were saying transmission converter lock up?

Just to add I did an experiment .Going 45 on flat road I shifted into neutral and coasted at idle speed.My perception was a very smooth idle.Dont know if this means anything.

I have search many threads and forums that include every BMW that has a 4.4 n62.From all these threads over 9 years of this problem Ive only read two that have been cured.First was a bad seal for throttle body to intake,second was engine mounts.Countless other threads ended without cure.Many back when still under warranty took them to the dealer and has SIB done which raises valve lift at idle.OK for a day then back to same condition.If not cold start idle then intermediate levers should be ok .So.....some other valve train defect or like you were saying transmission converter lock up?

Just to add I did an experiment .Going 45 on flat road I shifted into neutral and coasted at idle speed.My perception was a very smooth idle.Dont know if this means anything.

Thanks dolfan13, hopefully that will help fix the problem.

I am going to ask a silly question here, is bad seal for throttle body to intake means intake CPS?

If yes, grimma was going to do the intake CPS, hope he will post back his results.

Thanks NathO to join the vibration club, if you read through you will know grimma did not fix the issue by changing the mounts. See what you can find about the transmission or the AC. Is there a way to check the transmission oil level? or Transmission mounts?

Also, there was a theory about the Exhaust mounts playing up.

With my indy, I don't have to tell him much. I had enquired about this previously on this forum and it was suggested to me by another member it might be the engine mounts. Turns out my indy gives me a call (I leave him a list of everything I want done in my car when I drop it off) and says about the vibrating that it is caused by the engine mounts being "tight". Whatever that means? But continues to say that is how these 530i's run. He knows his sh** and trust him 100% (this guy doesn't charge me labour.... parts only! that's why there is trust lol plus he is a bloody good guy and always up for a chat about anything). However, he is doing a transmission software update that was recommended to me by the dealership. So we will see how that goes... I pick up the car tomorrow night if all goes to plan (been in for two days).

I had the same problem with my car. I took it to the dealership and they did a diagnostic on it and found nothing wrong with the engine. The mechanic just bumped up the idle 150 rpm above what it was. My car was idling low, sometimes it would even go down to 500 rpm.

OK, in last 6 months I have replaced: engine and transmission mounts, exhaust mounts, rear ball joints with integral links(PITA) with big screw, intake boot hose, I have 3 ICV every one work same(try them all three), throttle gasket, NGK spark plugs( judging by the old spark plugs it had good combustion) , Injector gaskets(2 per injector) , 4 times Valve Cover Gasket, Oil Separator with corresponding hoses,new water pump and thermostat with new pulley's, belts and belt tension-er x2, dealer did serviced my Automatic box (new pan, and some other parts with oil) warranty payed more than CHF 1000, rear left wishbone and next week I will change one rear spring because she cracked. I don't know if I have forgot anything. i drive this car on relatively slow relations so I can explain some times there is this condensations in engine oil but once per week i drive her more than 100 km so this goes away. Also I change her oil and filter every 12000 km. i start to think that there is a small gasket on the top of intake manifold that have little vacuum leak: http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...79&hg=11&fg=40 number 3 or 4, and the oil filler cap. how ever soon I will go to my friend that has a DIS and I want to do some live checks before I start with replacement of intake and exhaust cam position sensors. Car is E60, M54, 525i 164000 km automatic box. If anyone have any idea please give it.